What is the technical term for the dust particle before it streaks through the atmosphere?
Answer
meteoroid
The object entering the atmosphere is given a specific classification based on its state relative to the luminous event. The technical term for the incoming dust particle, prior to it creating the visible streak, is the meteoroid. Once this object begins to compress the air rapidly, generating the superheated plasma layer that produces light as it travels through the atmosphere, the visible phenomenon observed from Earth is termed a meteor. This process involves high speeds, typically ranging between 30 to 70 kilometers per second, causing the rapid impact excitation of atoms in the vicinity.
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